These mushrooms jiggle like jelly

Springtime sprouts ephemeral flowers, summer brings greenery that fills our forests and in autumn we see leaves changing colors and flowers turning to seed. But winter? The trees are bare, the animals are snuggled in their winter homes and there is not a flower to be seen. Not to worry, there's always a reason to get outside in nature — and winter is no exception to that promise. 

Wood ear mushrooms. (Photo via Shutterstock)

Spring and autumn are the seasons of mushrooms, with many different species showing their fruiting bodies. But some mushrooms, like jelly fungus, can be found year-round.

Mushroom enthusiasts find jellies particularly exciting to discover because they can be found at the end of mushroom season, when there aren’t any others to be found. These tough mushrooms will fruit when its wet or cold and also in drier and hot conditions.  

Jelly mushrooms weren't named jelly by mistake. If you are lucky enough to come across one of these fantastic fungi, be sure to give it a poke with your finger. Or better yet, give it a jiggle because these gushy mushrooms love to wiggle.  

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Words to know

Decay: To rot or decompose.

Enthusiast: A person who is very interested in a particular activity or subject.

Ephemeral: Lasting for a very short time.

Gelatinous: Having the consistency of jelly.

Translucent: Allowing light but not detailed shapes to pass through.

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They are found growing on decaying wood, especially oak, birch, ash, maple and willow. To look for jelly fungus, check dead branches that have fallen from a tree. These mushrooms have an amazing wood-rotting job to do. They break down tree bark, acting as beneficial decomposers. They are often found in groups, so if you see a branch of jellies, look up and around. Other dead or dying wood debris from the same tree may be covered with jelly mushrooms too! 

There are many mushrooms in the jelly fungus group that look similar but have some defining features to help you tell them apart. Learn more about two common ones.  

Wood ear 

Wood ear mushrooms. (Photo by Brittany Schaller)

These gelatinous mushrooms get their name from their shape. They look a lot like a human ear growing right out of the wood. They are usually reddish brown, gray or dark in color and semi-translucent with a rubbery, jelly-like texture.  

The upper surface of this ear-shaped mushroom is usually smooth, and the underside is patterned with wrinkles or veins. In addition to their jelly-like feel, they are almost velvety to the touch. Each ear grows to between 1 centimeter and 5 centimeters wide, which ranges from the size of a pea to the size of a walnut.  

American amber jelly fungus 

American amber jelly fungus. (Photo via Shutterstock)

This common gelatinous mushroom is also called amber jelly roll. This fungus is lighter to dark brown and occasionally can look dark purple. Although each mushroom fruits separately, they usually grow in dense clusters that make them look like one large mass.  

This mushroom has shallow indents with ridges around them. Overall, this mushroom is wrinkled but smooth with no gills, stems or other decorations.  

When there is a drought, they shrivel up and dry out. You can hardly notice them in this state. But when it rains, they will soak up all that moisture and rehydrate. The individual fruits are smaller than the wood ear, growing between 0.8 centimeters to 2.5 centimeters wide, about the size of a Skittle. 

Hit the trails! 

Don't let this winter season pass you by. Head out to see what wonderful secrets the forest is holding for you. Maybe you'll discover a new-to-you mushroom species.